e!
s!
s er
On
The “way” we do things is as important as “what” we’re doing. Observation Deck)
eO
Ple as
Fr e
eP atr on iz
e–
ur
Tak e
Ad ve
rti
Councilman Tom Bullock (9.12.06
Proud Member Of The Observer Media Family Of Community Written And Owned Newspapers & Websites Vo l u m e 1 1 , I s s u e 1 7 , A u g u s t 1 8 , 2 0 1 5
Mayor Summers Receives Advisory Opinions From Ohio Ethics Commission by Jim O’Bryan
ion dated May 8, 2015, clarifies that, as long as Wendy Summers remains Mayor Summers’ wife and on the Lakewood Hospital Foundation Board, Mayor Summers is forbidden from participating in any discussions regarding the closing of Lakewood Hospital. And, yet, Mayor Summers has not only participated in discussions surrounding the closing of Lakewood Hospital in the past and present, Mayor Summers has been on record as leading the discussion, and recommending the closing of the Lakewood Hospital. So what role does the Ohio Ethics Commission have in addressing potential ethics violations? The Ohio Ethics Commission has many functions. One
On May 1, 2015, the Ohio Ethics Commission sent Law Director Kevin Butler an advisory opinion based, in part, on Butler’s hypothetical question of: “Can the Mayor participate in decisions regarding the closing of Lakewood Hospital if his wife serves on the board of the foundation?” In response to Butler’s question, Ohio Ethics Commission Staff Advisory Attorney John Rawski opined that, “If the proposed agreement with the Cleveland Clinic would result in the dissolution or alteration of the foundation from its present form, the mayor cannot participate in decisions regarding the closing of Lakewood Hospital.” A second Ohio Ethics Commission advisory opin-
function is to address “hypothetical” questions like the two Butler submitted on behalf of Mayor Summers and his wife in the form of advisory opinions, which are intended to
help individuals such as Mike and Wendy Summers avoid ethics violations in the future. These advisory opinions are not intended to address prior or current ethics violations.
by Pat Miller Beck Center for the Arts’ fourth annual Bike for Beck was canceled in May when heavy rain flooded the Cleveland Metroparks. The ride, in which cyclists can choose between 12-, 25-, or 60-mile routes, has been rescheduled for Saturday, August 22 with registration taking place from
photo by Jim O’Bryan
Photo by Alex Belisle
by Mike Deneen
LO reporter, Mike Deneen, interviewing presidential hopeful Rick Santorum during the first GOP debate of the 2016 election.
debate protests were peaceful. It was an excellent preview for what everyone hopes will be a successful GOP Convention at “The Q” in summer 2016. Thanks primarily to Donald Trump, the 9 p.m. primetime portion of the debate was viewed by 24 million people, a record audience for a non-sports cable TV broadcast. The 9 p.m. stage consisted of the top ten candidates in national Mike Deneen compares notes with MSNBC’s polls, including Steve Kornacki host of Up With Steve Kornacki..
continued on page 17
Get Creative With Bike For Beck And Super Saturday 7 to 9 a.m. Riders who registered for the original May 31 date do not have to re-register. August 22 also marks the return of Beck Center’s popular Super Saturday event from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Bike for Beck is a fundraising cycling tour that benefits programming at Beck Center for the Arts. The rides through
GOP Debate Brings Spotlight To Cleveland And The Lakewood Observer Is There After much anticipation, the first 2016 Republican Presidential Debate came to Cleveland on August 6, 2015 at Quicken Loans Arena. As with most things political, Lakewood residents viewed this event through a partisan lens. Local Republicans hoped it would be a first step toward capturing the White House. Lakewood Democrats saw it as a chance to see media sensation Donald Trump and the 16 other candidates, widely disparaged as “The Clown Car.” There is one point upon which both sides could agree…. the event went very well for Cleveland. The city hosted thousands of visitors, and
In order to address prior or current ethics violations, someone must first file a “charge or allegation of unethical
Trump, perceived front-runners such as Jeb Bush and Scott Walker, and local favorite John Kasich (Ohio’s Governor). The 5 p.m. debate, which consisted of
the seven lowest-polling candidates, pulled 6.1 million viewers, which is also a very strong number by historical standards. Although the debates began at 5 p.m., there was a full day of activity downtown. National media descended on Cleveland in the early morning, with morning shows such as “Morning Joe” reporting from downtown. Media trucks were lined around “The Q”, and the media filing room was busy by 9 a.m. Downtown had a festive atmosphere during the day, not unlike Indians’ Opening Day or a Cavs playoff
continued on page 5
the Cleveland Metroparks begin and end at Beck Center, located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood. The cost is $40 per cyclist and includes a t-shirt and rider packet for the first 175 registrants. SAG support and snack stops are also located throughout the routes. Group rates are available by calling Lauren Brocone at 216.521.2540 x19, and rider registration is available at beckcenter.org. Children under 12 may ride free with a paid adult rider. A 1-mile “Kidical Mass” for children of all ages will begin at 8:30 a.m. Registration is not required for “Kidical Mass,” but all riders must be accompanied by an adult and wear helmets to participate. Once the rides have begun, Super Saturday will return for a morning of family-friendly music and arts activities. This free, popular early childhood event is ideal for ages 1 through 7, with friends and siblings up to age 10 taking part. The fun begins at 9:30 a.m. on the Mackey Main Stage with “Hear & Touch the Music” featuring piano, followed by a plethora
continued on page 3
Mayor, City Council Invite Citizens To Share Ideas For Lakewood’s Downtown Development
by Colin McEwen City of Lakewood’s Public Information Officer
“What’s your vision for 5.7 acres of valuable Lakewood property in the heart of its downtown district?” That’s the question that economic development experts ask in a series of visioning workshops starting on August 19. Open to the public, the work-
shops will teach citizens how to think like developers and offer them opportunities to design uses for the land currently occupied by Lakewood Hospital. “Though no decisions have yet been made about how or where health care will continue to be provided to our citizens in the future, we must continue to move forward to build our city,”
said Lakewood Mayor Michael Summers. “There has been a lot of conversation about the consequences of losing Lakewood Hospital. But the fact is that the City owns nearly 6 acres of very valuable land that is in high demand for many interesting uses. We need to focus on future gains from investing in that
continued on page 15